finally found but was too effulgent to realize
the calamity. He recommended the press be shipped to Philadelphia and
the office closed for two weeks. He was evidently feeling so good that
he could not entertain the idea of getting back to the regular life in
less time.

Mr. Hurd, the owner, insisted that Davy Chalfant, "the best blacksmith
in the country," could repair the spring. Alfred was dispatched with the
broken bits to Davy's shop. Davy was not only noted for his mechanical
skill but for his likes and dislikes. He had a great admiration for
mechanics who labored with heavy tools or machinery and greater contempt
for all who were engaged in lighter labor. Davy could shoe horses, weld
tires or axles as no other blacksmith in those parts.

[Illustration: "What Does Hurd Take Me Fur, a Damned Jeweler?"]

Kaiser, the town jeweler, a German of delicate physique and features, a
skilled workman, was held in special contempt by the big blacksmith who
never passed the jeweler's shop that he did not hurl, under his breath,
contemptuous words at the delicate little jeweler sitting in his window
with a magnifying glass on his eye, plying his trade.

When Alfred handed the blacksmith the broken bits of the spring he took
them in the hollow of his big palm and said: "What's these?"

Alfred explained that the press was broken and it would be impossible to
print the paper until the spring was repaired and Mr. Hurd said he knew
that he, Mr. Chalfant, could fix it.

Davy turned the bits of broken steel over in his palm with the
forefinger of his other hand as he musingly said: "So Hurd said I could
fix this thing, did he?" And here he handed Alfred the broken bits.
"Well, you take it back to Hurd an' ax him what he takes me fur, a
damned jeweler?"

Someone suggested that Gus Lyons, the machinist and piano tuner, could
repair the spring, which he did after several hours work.

Harrison celebrated longer, with the result that the remainder of the
edition was not worked off until after the regular edition of the
following week. The edition of the week before went out with the regular
edition with an added note at the top of the page explaining the
terrible accident to the press which caused the delay.

It was one of the onerous duties of the business department to deliver
the paper in three towns, Brownsville, Bridgeport and West Brownsville.
To the houses on the hill above Workman's Tavern he generally sent the
paper by a